Operagasm

A cutting edge, unfiltered af perspective on opera & classical singing, but also other stuff. @cconnolley & @melissawimbish they/them

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

Serious question: What are you doing to include people of color in your art?

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

The brand new VP of HR & Inclusion at our @BaltSymphony was quietly appointed on Jan 11. Why no big announcement? Headshot? BSO is pressed to say how committed to diversity they are & hired a yt man to “increase racial literacy & cultural responsiveness.” https://t.co/MudaeuAkqe

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

FOH

[Ari Hoffman @thehoffather]

This is a high school band practice in Wenatchee,WA

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

When an employee flaunts their bias against racial, cultural, or other groups, they must be disciplined. All are entitled to personal beliefs, but members of the @BaltSymphony have a responsibility to the organization & their community.
https://t.co/RjqIwgIWr2

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

Thank you, Meg for writing a piece about the actual story of racism & white feminism happening at BSO.

Your hard work on this article gives me hope.

[Meghann Wilhoite @megwilhoite]

We need to talk about white feminism in (classical) music https://t.co/NAHlsKIazy

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

Love that this piece by @megwilhoite begins with an @rgay quote. ✨

The BSO claims they are a “world-class,” “pre-eminent” establishment “serving all of Maryland.” We deserve to know how this publicly funded institution plans to discipline their racist. https://t.co/mjL8U9ISic

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

Please review this petition. Sign & share if you agree that blatant racism should be disciplined at publicly funded arts organizations.

@OrchLeague @orchestraisrac1 @Adaptistration @NAACP @ICSOM

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

When an employee flaunts their bias against racial, cultural, or other groups, they must be disciplined. All are entitled to personal beliefs, but members of the @BaltSymphony have a responsibility to the organization & their community.
https://t.co/RjqIwgIWr2

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

“Music presenters used to be museums first and foremost, but now are thinking of themselves as something more.”

Great piece. I want to see Baltimore’s classical scene freed in this way.

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

👀👀👀👀

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

@bmoredownbeats @mochamomma “Our color palette is acoustical, not visual; metaphysical, not physical.” -Emily Skala, Principal Flute at BSO responding to critics who say 1 Black member of 75 does not reflect the city of Baltimore’s 60% Black population.

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

👵🏽

[Patricia Wallinga @pwallinga]

Surprisingly accurate, especially Hildegard

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

I hope the @OrchLeague is following this story closely. Some help out here would be welcomed. #Baltimore

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

Observe principal flute of Baltimore Symphony doing a bunch of racism. Why hasn’t she been fired?

Don’t talk to me about unions. If it’s bad enough, they can discipline her.

She sits on the audition committee at BSO. That’s a problem. @OrchLeague @orchestraisrac1 @nytimes

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

Skala’s story is being circulated, but her anti-Black & anti-Semitic remarks have magically disappeared from the conversation. What’s that about?

I’ll include the remarks in a thread for any journalists who want to cover the actual story.
https://t.co/wKGYaCgGUm

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

“Thy rebuke ..”
https://t.co/g79nOEDLn7

[Operagasm @Operagasm]

@VoiceTeacherNYC @melissawimbish Thank you @VoiceTeacherNYC

[Claudia Friedlander @VoiceTeacherNYC]

Thank you @melissawimbish for your advocacy 🙏
For anyone who doesn't get why the BSO took a stand on Skala's extramusical views: She openly expressed racist & bigoted statements, making the BSO an unsafe workplace for her colleagues who were targeted by those views.

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

“... Skala questions those who criticize the BSO for not reflecting the diversity of the city. ‘Our color palette is acoustical, not visual,’ she writes.”

Thanks @Tim_Prudente @baltimoresun for covering this.

https://t.co/dsLPRaOvgc

[Robert Komaniecki @Komaniecki_R]

I promise this is music content you just have to watch with sound on

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

🥱

[Vanilla Bedelia @melissawimbish]

Good afternoon.

I found these emails from Emily Skala, Principal Flute @BaltSymphony upsetting. They were written after she was required to attend a meeting about racial justice.

Why do orchestras protect these people? Asking for classical musicians who aren’t openly racist.